Synopsis

Plot

The episode starts out with Rocky cleaning a trophy. When he is startled by Miss Simian's reflection, he almost drops the trophy before Miss Simian catches it for him. She then goes about explaining about her long strive to get these trophies before announcing to Rocky her attempt at the newest one. A "Teacher's Performance" award. Rocky, however, points out that she needs a recommendation by at least one student to receive that award, and not one student actually likes her.

Miss Simian is then thrown into depression, which causes her to ignore everything and everyone, letting her class mess around. Gumball and Darwin take notice to this and try to go to lunch before Miss Simian asks Gumball if she could hang around with him. After he rejects her, Gumball goes on a rant pointing out how Miss Simian continues to follow him around anyways, still depressed.

After Gumball and Darwin try to shoo her away, they reluctantly let her in the Wattersons' house. Nicole, however, immediately disapproves of her on her property, in which the family demands her out. Miss Simian then goes on a sob story trying to stay friends with the family. However, the kids ask her not to leave and take it upon themselves to teach her how to attract friends.

Gumball and Darwin try some ideas to teach her how to be a good friend. First, they try to play Dodj or Daar, but abruptly quit because all of the cards are about her. Gumball uses an ice cream scenario in which he tries to get her to share invisible ice cream. However, this only makes Gumball feel uncomfortable after a while, so they try something else. Gumball then tries a high five exercise, but merely gets smacked in the face by Miss Simian's "high five."

After a while, Miss Simian starts to become more accepted to the family, by literally blowing Richard's stomach, and entertaining the children. Nicole, however, does not approve of this and threatens her, however, Miss Simian argues that she has changed and that she means no harm. Nicole decides to take her word for it and lets her go. Shortly afterwards, Miss Simian convinces Gumball to quickly write a letter of recommendation for her, in which he does without a second's thought. Miss Simian cheers, and leaves the Wattersons.

Nicole and the Wattersons then search around the school for Miss Simian, having baked a cake for her positive emotional change. Rocky, however, reveals that she has left because she has "finally got some losers to write her Favorite Teacher nomination." Nicole then flashes back to the times Miss Simian called her a "loser," and realizes she has been tricked and angrily chases after her.

The Wattersons catch up with Miss Simian on the freeway and attempt to ram her down. She, however, outmaneuvers them, and mocks them. Nicole, even more enraged, demands her family to try alternate methods to take her out by having Darwin shoot candy and throwing random things. Miss Simian laughs before realizing she lost the note before finding it on her antennae. Nicole then tries to get Richard to grab it, which he attempts reluctantly. This causes the cars to go out of control and tip Miss Simian and her car over an overpass. Gumball then asks her if she wants to be their friend. Miss Simian rejects them and grabs the note, in exchange for falling into the overpass. The family then mocks her for a bit, before Nicole stops them from being sadistic enough to laugh at injured people.

Miss Simian later receives her award, and despite ending up in a wheelchair and full-body cast, believes that it was "so worth it."

Cultural References

Goofs/Errors

When Miss Simian is on the couch tickling Richard, and he rolls off, Darwin suddenly appears from where Richard was laying.

The license plate number as well as the window stickers on Cartax frequently disappears.

Gumball's seat in the car shifts at one point.

Miss Simian's seatbelt disappears and reappears randomly.

In the scene where Richard is trying to grab the note, you see two of Anais, and two of Darwin.

Although the title of the episode is "The Ape," Miss Simian is actually a monkey (specifically, a baboon).

When Darwin spits hard candy at Miss Simian's car, holes show up on the hood before any of the pieces connect.

In the flashback of Nicole and Richard's wedding, Richard was not screaming like he was supposed to be in "The Wand," implying that he was exaggerating.

In "The Goons," Richard said that the sofa would be cramped if more than three people sit on it at once, but in this episode, the sofa seated five people comfortably. This error also occurred in "The Finale."

When Nicole leans back and says, "And that, kids, is why you wear seatbelts." in the car, her head linework overlaps her left shoulder.

Lucy Simian: Oh, thank you! You're such a kind and friendly family! [Camera zooms] You know, [Heads down] I never had friends before. I don't even know what friends do.

Gumball: Don't worry. We'll show you.

Therapy Session

[Gumball, Darwin and Miss Simian are outside of the house]

Gumball: Now, a very important part of friendship is sharing. Imagine you both have ice creams.

Darwin and Lucy Simian: Oh. [Pretends they are holding ice cream]

[Darwin moves his tongue as if licking ice cream]

Gumball: But what's this? Darwin has dropped his ice cream. [Waiting for Darwin to mimic the ice cream dropping, but Darwin doesn't stop licking] I said, "Darwin has dropped his ice cream." [Swings his hands over Darwin's hand as he knocks over Darwin's ice cream] Splat!

Darwin: [Stops briefly, then looks down] You got it on my shoes.

Lucy Simian: Uh, do you want to share mine? [Moves her hands as she breaks her ice cream in half]

Gumball: [Gasps] Very good.

Lucy Simian: Ice cream, Darwin? [Hands her hand as she gives an ice cream to Darwin]

Lucy Simian: [Hugging Gumball, Darwin and Anais] I'm so pleased to finally have such great friends!

GumballDarwinRichard and [Anais]: Ahhh! We love you, Miss Simian.

[Camera zooms to Nicole]

Nicole: Sorry, kids. Miss Simian, c-can I have a word with you [Angrily] in private, please?

[View changes to the dining room]

Lucy Simian: [As she sits on the dining chair] Yes, Nicole, how can I help you?

Nicole: Listen, Simian, you might have the rest of them fooled, but I don't trust you for a second. [Lunges forward] I remember you from school. I remember the horrible name you used to call me everyday. [Camera zooms towards Nicole and Miss Simian] Do you remember that?

Lucy Simian: [Regretful] Yes, I do. And I'm sorry.

[Camera zooms to Nicole]

Nicole: [Surprised] What?

[Then to Mrs Simian]

Lucy Simian: I was that horrid person for so long, and look where it got me. No friends, no family -- [Covers her face] just bitterness and wrinkles.

[Camera zooms to Nicole who is still surprised and back to Miss Simian again]

Lucy Simian: [hugging herself] But even an old ape can change. [Points to Nicole] Will you give me that chance?

Nicole: [Thinking] Oh, I don't know. It's all happening so fast.

[Miss Simian rushes forward and hugs Nicole]

Lucy Simian: Ple-e-e-e-e-ase?

Nicole: [Shudders] Okay, I'll -- I'll give it another shot.

The Letter

[Scene changes to Front of Wattersons' house, then into the living room]

Gumball: What do we do now, best friends?

Lucy Simian: Uh, let's see. I know! Best friends write letters to each other about how great they are. [Gives a notepad to Gumball]

Gumball: Wow! What a... friendly idea. [Takes the notepad] What shall we write?

Lucy Simian: Um...ooh... How about "we, the aforementioned, unanominously agree that Miss Simian is worthy of this year's Favorite Teacher Award."'

Gumball: "Favorite Teacher Award." Okay! Done it!

Lucy Simian: [Quickly takes the notepad from Gumball, with laughing] It's mine! [Holding the notepad into her chest], [She dances in glee].

[Scene changes to the window]

Darwin: Look how happy she is.

Gumball: That's the power of friendship.

School

[Scene changes to Elmore Junior High]

Gumball: Wow! You baked that cake for Miss Simian?

Nicole: Yeah. I think she deserves a second chance. [Walking towards Rocky] Is Miss Simian around?

Rocky: Nah, dude. She just drove off. You should've seen her, all dancing and laughing, saying she finally got some losers to write her a "Favorite Teacher" nomination.

[Scene goes slow motion, where everyone see Nicole drops the cake and it shatters.]

Nicole: What was the word she used? [Asking in an anxious way]

Rocky: [Slow motion] "Losers."

[Scene changes to Nicole's flashback]

[Nicole, as a baby, falls after a few steps, then feels sad]

Lucy Simian: Heh! Nice first steps, loser!

[Nicole, as a kid, falls from a bike that was hitting a rock]

Lucy Simian: [Laughs] Nice cycling, loser!

[Nicole, as a student, reading a poem in class]

Lucy Simian: Nice "poem," loser!

[At the school reunion dance,]

Lucy Simian: Nice hair, loser.

[At Nicole's wedding with Richard]

Lucy Simian: Nice husband, loser! [Laughs maniacally]

[End of flashback. Scene returns to the school]

Nicole: [Angry] Everyone, get back in the car.

Richard: [Having finished eating Nicole's cake ] Now?

The Chase

[Scene changes to Miss Simian driving in her car down the expressway]

Lucy Simian: [Laughing] Soon the trophy will be mine! [Nicole bumps into the rear-end of Miss Simian's car with her own car]

Nicole: We'll see about that, you two-faced baboon!

Lucy Simian: There's nothing you can do about it, loser!

Gumball: Mom! What are you doing?!

Nicole: Something I should have done a long time ago. [Presses down on gas pedal]

[Nicole and Miss Simian's cars bump a few times. Gumball, Anais, and Darwin sway as the car shakes]

Nicole: Kids, throw stuff at her!

Gumball: But isn't that dangerous?

Nicole: Not as dangerous as disobeying your mother!

[Gumball, Darwin and Anais grab soda cans]

Gumball: Sorry! Eh! [Throws the soda cans outside the window]

[Miss Simian begins to swerve]

Lucy Simian: Ah! Oh! Aaah!

Anais: [Reaches for candy in the car seat] Open your mouth.

[Anais loads the candy into Darwin's mouth, and he fires it at Miss Simian like a machine gun]

Lucy Simian: [The candy cracks Miss Simian's windshield] Aah! Ohh!

Gumball: I hope you like pepperoni! [Drops a pizza box on her windshield]

Lucy Simian: Aaaaaah! [Bumps into the rails and drives tilted for a little while]

Lucy Simian: [Notices the recommendation letter about to fly out and grabs it] That was close! [Miss Simian's car tilts back to normal]

[Miss Simian rides off a ramp made of dirt]

Lucy Simian: [Midair] Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhh!

Gumball: Cool!

Lucy Simian: Not coo-o-o-o-l! [Miss Simian's car lands right side up]

Darwin: I thought you were our friend, Miss Simian.

Lucy Simian: Ha! Who needs friends when you have this letter? [Notices the letter isn't in her hand] Aah! Huh!